Day 44: Sunday July 12th

Today Rochelle & I went on a hike in Glacier National Park while the grandparents (Poppi & Amma) watched our kids.

Hike: “The Loop”  Highline Trail to Granite Park Trail

Distance: 11.6 miles

Rochelle at the start of our 11.6 mile hike on Highline Trail

Rochelle at the trail head near Logan’s Pass (1.5 hours from the West Glacier park entrance)

Narrow paths and steep dropoffs require a cable for stability

The narrow paths and steep drop-offs require a cable for security.

Highline Trail - Glacier National Park

Before long we learned where the Highline Trail got its name.  The path is only a couple feet wide and winds along the edge of the Garden Wall.  The Continental Divide runs along the ridge to our left (not pictured).  At this point we’re  just a couple hundred feet directly above Going To The Sun Road.

Waterfalls in Glacier National Park

One of many waterfalls on the hike.

Rochelle hiking through snow in July

Rochelle hiking through the snow–no one warned us about this, but we did hear that some of the roads and trails opened only a few days before our arrival.

Marmot on Highline Trail - Glacier National ParkMountain Goat on Highline Hike

We saw lots of wildlife.  Above are a marmot (left) and mountain goat (right).  See videos below:

Marmot on Highline Trail – Glacier National Park – Wyoming

Mountain Goat on our hike in Glacier National Park

View from Highline TrailViews from Trail - Chalet

Views from Trail (left).  You can see the Granite Park Chalet in the distance (right.)  This chalet can only be reached by hiking a moderately strenuous 7.6 miles from Logan’s Pass or a very strenuous 4.0 mile 2,200 foot ascension (depending on the entrance.)  They have a large dorm-style lodge which rents a bunk for $80 per person!  You need to book almost one year in advance to reserve your spot–sorry, no WIFI service or cellular reception.

Trail ViewsGranite Trail

On Granite Park Trail headed down the mountain–2,200 descent over 4 miles.

Flower and butterfly

We got down at 5:45 after hiking 11.6 miles in 5 hours.  It was a fun, exhilarating, and exhausting hike–can’t wait to do it again . . . next year 🙂

Tomorrow we will head east and south to Idaho Falls, ID

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1 Comment

  1. LOVE the videos!! It looks like it was an amazing hike made better by the fact that it was just Mom & Dad (sshh–don’t tell the kids I said that). I also am very impressed that you guys bring your own cables when you go hiking in the mountains. Safety first! 🙂

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